1159. It is recommended to offer a better reply to the salÁm, except during prayer. For example, if one is greeted with (سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُم), he should reply with (سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُم وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّه).
Seventh: If a person deliberately laughs aloud, his prayer will be deemed invalid, unless he is an exculpatory ignorant. There is no problem it a person deliberately laughs without vocalizing it, or laughs aloud inadvertently.
1160. If a person’s condition changes in order to suppress his laughter, such as his face turning red, it is not necessary to repeat the prayer, unless he encounters another obstacle, such as losing the form of the prayer.
1160. If a person’s condition changes in order to suppress his laughter, such as his face turning red, it is not necessary to repeat the prayer, unless he encounters another obstacle, such as losing the form of the prayer.
Eight: Obligatory precaution dictates that crying out of concern for worldly affairs, shall invalidate the prayer, unless the person is an exculpatory ignorant. However, crying in fear of God, or for the here-after, is amongst the best of deeds.
1161. If a person remains silent during prayer to the extent that one could no longer say that he is praying, his prayer is invalid.
1162. If a person performs an act, or remains silent for some time, and owing to his behavior, falls into doubt whether he has broken the form of his prayer or not, he should repeat his prayer. Recommended precaution however dictates that he should complete his prayer and then repeat it.
Ninth: If a person performs an act that would break the form of prayer in such a manner, that it would no longer be deemed prayer in the common understanding, such as jumping in the air or something similar to it, be it deliberately or out of forgetfulness, his prayer will be invalidated. However, there is no problem in doing something that would not break the form of prayer, such as signaling with the hand.
1163. If a person swallows the food which remains between the teeth, during prayer, his prayer will not be invalid. Similarly, there is no problem if there is sugar or its like remaining in the mouth that gradually dissolves and is swallowed.
Tenth: If a person eats or drinks during prayer, be it deliberately or out of forgetfulness, in such a manner that one would not say that he is praying, his prayer will be invalid.
However, if one would still consider him to be praying, then if he does so deliberately, his prayer would still be invalid as dictated by obligatory precaution. However if he is an exculpatory ignorant or if it is due to forgetfulness, there is no problem in it.
If a person is engaged in the witr prayer before fajr, and becomes thirsty, while he intends to fast that day, and he fears that fajr will arise upon finishing his prayer, and there is water two to three steps in front of him, he may drink from it during prayer, so long as he does not perform an action that would invalidate the prayer, such as turning away from the qiblah.
Eleventh: The doubt regarding the number of rak‘ahs that arises in a two rak‘ah prayer, such as the fajr prayer or a traveler’s prayer, or a three rak‘ah prayer, or in the first two rak‘ah of a four rak‘ah prayer, will invalidate the prayer, provided that the person remains in the state of doubt.
1164. If after completing his prayer, a person doubts whether he performed an action whilst praying that would invalidate his prayer or not, his prayer will be valid.
